Buckle-holding attachment



, March 10. 1925.

7 G. E. ANDERSON BUCKLE HOLDING ATTACHMENT Filed apl 2a, 1922 PatentedMar. 10, 1925 GUSTAF E. ANDERSON, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUCKLE-HOLDI-N G ATTACHMENT.

Application filed July 28,

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, GUsTAr E. ANDERSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county ofPlymouthand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Bucklel-Iolding Attachments, of which the following is aspecification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.1

This invention relates to an attachment for sewing machines which isdesigned to hold a buckle or other article in proper position while thesame is being fastened to suitable material by stitching.

In the use of zigzag or button sewing machines for attaching buckles toleather or cloth fabrics, it is customary for the machine operator toposition the buckle with the fingers holding it firmly on the materialwhile the machine applies stitches back and forth over the center. barof the buckle. It is somewhat difficult, however, where the positioningof the buckle is done entirely by hand to secure absolute align ment ofthe buckle with the edge of the material and, therefore, great care isrequired on the part of the operator .in positioning and holding thebuckle. This naturally slows down the rapidity of theoperation, andatthe same time the work is not uniformly satisfactory in appearance.

The main object of the invention is the provision of a buckle holdingdevice .of simple construction, which may be easily and expeditiouslyapplied to a sewing machine of the character described, and which whenapplied will hold a buckle securely in proper position and againstdisplacement while it is being secured to material by stitching.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device which maybe adjusted, both in a longitudinal and a transverse dlr. rection, inorder to accommodate the device to sewing machines of varyingconstruction and to buckles of various shapesand styles. Other objectsof the invention will be more specifically set forth and describedhereinafter.

Briefly, my invention in its preferred form contemplates a device,adapted to be temporarily fastened to a suitable part of a sewinmachine, such as, for instance, the resser-bar, and provided withresilient 1922. Serial No. 578,109.

gripping means formed to receive and hold a buckle in proper positionfor attachment to material; said gripping means being so arranged as tobe adjustable'intwo directions, longitudinally and transversely. thedevice. .One'of the important features of my invention resides in thelongitudinal, ad ustment. Since it is generally necessary in attaching abuckle to material to use two sets of stitches across the center bar,oneset on each side of the tongue, the buckle must, after the first set'of stitches ,is applied, be moved into position for the second set. Totake care of thisr contingencyl' provide adjustable stops for regulatingthe length of the path of movement of the gripping means, so that thedevice is placed in engagement with one stop for the first Set ofstitches, and then after that set of stitches has been applied, thegripping means with the buckle is merely moved into engagement with theother stop. By adjusting the posi-" tions ofthese stops, the device canbe quick-.

1y changed from one; size of buckle toan': Z

other. In the drawings illustrating the preferred form of my invention,Figure ,1' is a plan view of a device "constructed. and operated inaccordance with myinvention; Figure 2 of a carrier block 16; each jawbeing bent downwardlyand then horizontally, and'having its end 18 turnedinwardly toward the other jaw. A helical spring 20, having each endturned around a screw 22 set in each one of the jaws, serves normally todraw the two jawstogether. To hold the jaws apart against the tension:of the spring 20, ascrewpin 24 maybe threaded through the carrier block16 in such location that its cone-shaped end 26 will engage thebacks 28of the jaws 10. The pin 24 may be provided with a knurled head 30 tofacilitate" handling. When the pin 24 is turned downwardly, its point isforced in between the backs '28, thereby forcing the jaws apart'a'gainstthe tension of the spring 20. Turning-the screw pin 24 in the oppositedirection withdraws its p trem we i e iaw en wperm ts the spring to drawth-emitogetherso far as the pin 24 permits.

The ends 18 f .ui i'ews may .besree ed at .32 to. facilitatetheholid'in'go fh buckle between them, and a dependingguide. 34 may besecured to the block 1 6 by a screw 36, the guide being slotted 'aat,-38toperm-it adjustment to different-sized buckles.

* Forkmounting the carrierblock a andits grippingfmeansupon a suitablepart of a sewing machine,:; any means may "be provided:whichziwillipermit of the jaws being adjusted inuboth a I longitudinaland a trans w verse-direction,andonerform of such means is shown;comprising an farm 40 and a skeletonsupport "42 *carried ."thereby, uponwhich the carrier block 161:= may be. slidably mounted. 'wTheblocki-risnprovidedi'with re Icss-es in its toptdreceive thetwosides of thesupport42, and-is held thereon; by a top plate 43 fastened a: theblock16 I by screws 45,. v'l hei arm 40: has its forward end pro videdwiith:a vertical recess 44 and a through i 1 opening 46',- whereby. it may "bemounted on shaft 48, andythefrear end of the support and i-s'ecured bysuitable "fastening: means "to the presser bar of: a sewing "machine Onthe rearward end ofithel arm i isia stub- 42 is "provided :with 4 anintegralsleeve -50. to

receivesaid I shaft: 48'. A? pin: "52 set in". an

sleeve and serves as a guide pin tofihold the support against rotationon the shaft 48.

Forj adj usting thesleeve 50j=on the shaft 48 and thereby; moving thesupport toward "and from presser bar, a'screw-pin 58 having In view ofthefact that itis customary to secure buckles to various materials twosets of stitches, oneon each siclefof the tongueof the buc'kle,..it': isof: c01'1rsenecessary 'to move the buckle. and material after i I the ffirst-"setj of stitches has ibeeu applied into position to have thesecond'.--.set of stitches placed; andf} in: order that this movement my:be made expeditiously and accurately Ii'provifde"suitablestops tolimitgthe move;

mentofg the carrierblock 16 andjaws 1O longitudinally, the; support 42.?In the drawingsmare shown ,1 two knurled head screw-pins 66-, onethreaded through each end of fth e supp ort;42lin;a longitudi ial -direction and projecting into the central re-' cess 68 of the support. Byturning these w s p i one ect n 1rtheot e the pjathi'jof the block 16maybe lengthened or shortened within the limit of the recess.

In the use ofmy' device it is first secured to a-suitable 'p'art ofthesewing machine,

preferably,tliepresser-bar, by any suitable clamping means. In the formshown in the drawings-thearm 40 is provided with the vertical recess '44to receive the presser-bar andwith theopening 46, to receive clampingmeans- Any suitable means may. be used forthispurpose, however,.,and thefree'end of -thekarm14O maybe variously shaped to conform to the'meansused. Afterwbeing secured in-position, the device may thenbe adjusted to2 the'particular work which it is to: do. The screw-pin-24-is1turneddownto force the jaw/s10 apart until.separated'sufliciently; to permit a, buckle 172" to be pushed into.the-end grooves.32;.ofJ'the jaws. This 2tdjl1Stm$I1t- ShOl1ld.b6 such that; the. inser-'tionf of: the buckle forces the jaws'further. apart to a slight degreeagainst the tension of. the -spri11g-20, so that the buckle is atalltimes held in-position bythat pressure. The screw-pin 24 servesthe'purpose merely of; bringing-,.the jaws ;to a position where abucklecanby slight pressure be forced. in between them. and heldtightly. Other-wise, since" the spring2Q would draw the jaws together,the insertionof a buckle would'res quire considerable more trouble. onthe part of the operator and consume. perhaps an appreciable amount oftime} At the/2381118 time the guide 34 is adjusted 1 in position to be.engaged by theinner side of. the buckle '72 when-between the jaws byloosening and thentightening thescrew 3'6. After these adjustments havebeen made, the stops 66 should be entirely withdrawn from the recess 68,and'the block then moved on thesupport142 to bringlthe innerhal'i ofthecenter bar 74 of the-bucklein positionto. receive the firstset ofstitches from the needle. This may'also-require a transverse adjustinento 'f the support onthe stub-shaft 48 by manipulation of the screw-pin 58the stub-shaftj 48 being. provided with a suitable transverse slot topermit lateral movement of the stop pin 66 which passes through saidstub-shaft.

VVhen. .the. device has been "so adjusted" in thesefltwo directions thattheinner half of.

the. center barv is in position tov receivethe first setcof stitches,the left handstop 66 may then be turnedinwardly to bring its end intoengagement with block 16.23 The foregoingadjustments place the device inits initial position, ready for the first set. of

stitches; I The block .16 shouldthen be m'oved sutfi eiently to bringthe outer. half of the center bar 74 in position-to receive the secondset of stitches and while the; block sinf tha pos n, the'right hand:stop-1 pin 66 should be turned inwardly to bring its endinto engagementwith the other side of the block.

Thereafter, all that is required in the use of the device is to insertthe buckle in the position shown in Figure 1' between the jaws 10 and inengagement with the guide 34; move the block into engagement with one ofthe stop pins 66; start the machine and apply one set of stitches; thenstop the machine; move the block into engagement with the other stop;apply the second set of stitches; and the operation is completed.

It will be observed that by making proper adjustments my device can beused in connection with buckles of all shapes and sizes, and it makes nodifierence whether the tongue 7 6 of the buckle and the center bar 74,or either of them, are arranged eccentrically in the buckle. In anyevent, after the device has been adjusted to the first buckle, it maythen be used without limit and without requiring further adjustmentsupon all buckles of that particular size and shape.

One of the principal advantages of my device is that the buckle willalways be secured in an absolutely true position on the material and inperfect alignment with the edge thereof. This is of special advantage infastening buckles to small belts, for shoe or slipper straps, and insimilar cases where absolute alignment of the buckle is required.

This result is further contributed to by the fact that, after theinsertion of the buckle, both hands of the operator are left free forthe operation of the machine and the holding of the material.

I further found from my experience that the use of my device, inaddition to producing uniform work, greatly increases the amount of workwhich can be turned out 1n a given period, thereby reducing the cost ofproduction.

It is to be understood that my invention may be embodied in other formsof construction other than herein shown and described, and is not to belimited to any specific construction except where so limited in thefollowing claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the character described having, in combination, an armadapted for mountng on the presser foot of a zig-zag sewing machine andprovided with a transverse stub-shaft, a skeleton support slidablymounted on said stub-shaft and having an offset portion, a screw carriedby said arm threaded through said offset portion for moving said supporton said stub-shaft, a guide pin for holding said support againstrotation on said stub-shaft, a carrier block slidably mounted on saidskeleton support and movable in a path at right angles to the path ofmoven'lent of said support, pair of adjustable stops for limiting themovement of said carrier and mounted on said carrier block. i

2. A device of the character described having, in combination, an armadaptedto be fixed to the presser footof a zig-zag sewing machine andprovided at its free end with a transverse stub-shaft,-a supportslidably mounted on said stub-shaft, a screw pin carried by said arm foradjustably moving said'support on's'aid stub-shaft, a-block slidablymounted on said support, and a pair of jaws pivotallymounted on saidblock.

3. A device of the character described having, in combination, an armadapted to be fixed at one end to the presser foot of a zig-zag sewingmachine and provided with a transverse stub-shaft, a support mounted onsaid stub-shaft and movable thereon ina direction parallel with thelongitudinal axis thereof, means formoving said support, a blockslidably mounted on said support for movement in a direction at rightangles to the movement of said support, a pair of jaws pivotally mountedon said block and resilient means for drawing said jaws together.

4. A device of the character described having, in combination, an armadapted to be fixed at one end to the stationary presser foot of azig-zag sewing machine and provided with a transverse stub-shaft, asupport slidably mounted on said stub-shaft, means for adjustably movingsaid support on said shaft in a direction at right angles to the. normalline of feed of said machine, a block mounted on said support andmovable thereon in a direction at right angles to the di' rection ofmovement of said support, means for regulating the length and locationof the path of movement of said block and pair of aws carried by saidblock forholding a buckle or similar object.

5. A device of the character described having, in combination, an armadapted to be mounted on a stationary presser foot 1n a sewing machine,said arm being .provided with a transverse stub-shaft, a supportslidably mounted on said support in a direction transverse to saidshaft, a guide pin for holding said support against rotation on saidshaft, a carrier block mounted on said support and movable thereon in adirection at right angles to the direction of movement of said support,a pair of jaws on said block for holding a buckle or similar article,resilient means for drawing said jaws together and adjustable means forregulating the distance between said jaws when closed by said resilientmeans.

6. A device of the character described having, in combination, an armadapted to stub-shaft; asupport mounted on saidstubshaft; means' foradjustably moving said support on said shaft in a direction at rightangles to the normal'line of feed, a block mounted on, said support andmovable thereon 'in a. direction parallel. to the normalline of: feed,adjustable stops rfor limitingfthe path of movement of said lolook ineither direction, a pair of jaws carried by said 7. A device ofthe-character. described having, in combination,- an arm adapted tobedetachably secured to the stationary presser foot of a zig-zagsewingmachine ei p r fle a ts eensl w t "a t a Wes on-Sh e d? a uid Pin,flfiWP'Q slidably mounted on said stub-shaft and guide T pin, anadjusting- 5 screw for noving said support on said stub-shaft and guidepin in a, d-irection,--.at right; angles tosaid arm,- a'blocl;slidablyunounted on; said sup} portin a path parallel to said arm, mea

just'able stops 1 limiting the" movement of saidbl ool; in eitherdirection, a pair of Y jaws for holding or similar artiole5 av Spring i'ol g s jaw l sed position and an adjustable stop for limiting the inward positionof said aWs. j

, In Witness whereof,- I' hereunto setgnv i hand this hventffifthof'Jii-ly, 1922.,

' GUI- STAB E} ANDERSON"

